Do you dare to wear red over 40?
Red empowers, red invites, red rules.
The Woman In Red
What do you associate with that statement other than this movie clip , this song or this image?
My views on wearing the colour red were formed at a very young age.
When I was eleven I had to wear a red uniform to work. I worked in an ice cream shop my parents owned. I despised that uniform. This undoubtably tainted my perception of the colour red. After many years of scooping ice cream, cleaning popcorn machines and carefully stabbing hot dogs onto a rotating wheel, red to me signified manual labour and hiding my true self behind a uniform. I hated looking like my coworkers.
From then on I never bought any red clothes.
About eight years later, a Japanese tour guide gifted me a red dress when I worked as the director of guest services at a high end hotel. Each time his tour groups would visit the hotel I would greet them and he often brought me gifts and cards back from his travels. I never saw him outside of my work environment but I’ve kept the dress all these years. I don’t believe I’ve ever worn the dress outside of the house.
The dress looks a whole lot like this… so now you know why I didn’t wear it out of the house.
For many years I never owned anything red other than that dress. It was a shameful colour.
I felt much like the woman in the first image, exposed wearing red.
Once I became a redhead I still didn’t feel I could wear red. I was older, more confident, but I still held onto nagging beliefs attached to memories of red.
Then I saw Joan in MadMen and that changed the whole red ballgame for me.
Joan opened my eyes to the power of red. She was confident, intelligent and commanding. Cloaked in red Joan’s fierce super powers were unstoppable.
Joan wore red because she earned it.
Dare To Wear Red
Slowly and insidiously red started creeping back into my life and my closet.
When I saw this dress at the vintage show I was drawn to the cut immediately but still hesitated because it was red.
Could I pull it off? Would it clash with my hair, my personality, my life?
Red isn’t for wallflowers. Red is the colour of blood, love and hate. Red isn’t soft or quiet. Red rages and screams. Red is passion, frenzy and excitement. Red rules the room.
I’m no longer the teenager wearing my uniform scooping ice cream or the young woman accepting spicy gifts from foreign men. I’m a mature woman and every choice I’ve made in my life has brought me to where I am.
I’ve earned this red.
I own this red.
I am a woman in red, see me soar.
Reclaiming your power over long held personal perceptions is extremely gratifying and liberating.
What do you need to reclaim?
Linking up with Visible Monday, I Will Wear What I Like, Turning Heads Tuesday
It is so psychologically interesting how our childhood memories can affect our clothing choices even as adults!! So that’s where you got your love of food?
As for the gifted dress—I’m confused—the dress you linked to looks hot & sexy—and you’re totally all that–so you don’t wear it why? (you could layer another skirt over it if you wanted a tad more covering?)
That being said, I do remember the “rule” that redheads shouldn’t wear red (or pink)—but I’m loving that it’s a non issue now!!
And girl—you stand out in any color—so i’m glad you’re embracing red now!!
jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
That dress reveals everything. Even moles! And it is short. Shorter than the one I’ve shown. I don’t like to wear anything where I can’t wear a bra. Essentially it is a stripper dress given to me by an older man. I don’t mind being sexy, but I like to do it on my own terms.
I thought everyone was born with a love of food.
You are right of course, that used to be the old rule about redheads and red but Joan broke through all of that.
What a fascinating back-story of you and red. I can see why wearing a red uniform to do a job you don’t love, would make a negative association. And you are not a uniform woman!! You do, however, look gorgeous in this red dress and awesome wedges. Thanks for linking, xox
You are gorgeous in red. More red for Suzanne s’il vous plait.
Well, I guess it’s about time you rediscover red and make it your own. It’s a lovely dress. And I’ve seem you wear other pieces in red, too, and look just fabulous.
Red was always my colour when I was a child, and even much later. Once a man knelt down on the street in front if me and started singing Lady in Red… BTW that was in Toronto, I was working there one summer in the early 90’s…
I’m so glad you were able to shed your bad association with the color from the uniform and create a good feeling about it. Yes, red is BOLD. With a capital B. People wearing it are seen as confident and powerful, which is a great way to present yourself. I wear red in both men’s and women’s clothing and enjoy its potency.
What a gorgeous dress, and so pretty on you. I don’t own a lot of red, but I’m not sure why. My husband has commented many times that I need a red dress, but alas, I still don’t have one. I should probably be on the look out for one!
What a story to associate with red. As for the dress that you received as a gift, it looks like a very nice dress that you could probably add layers and tights to make it less striper like?
I never thought you would shy away from any particular color since I see you in so many different colors. This is a very pretty dress on you and you wear it well.
Alice
http://www.happinessatmidlife.com
Hope to see you Thursday for TBT Fashion link up.
I must say you look good in any colour or print. Red loves you
Mil besos from Málaga
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I loved red in the 1980s, it was my go-to colour and with my blonde hair always got me noticed but, for a long time afterwards, I didn’t wear it, not because i was afraid of being looked at, I’d just discovered other colours. A few years ago a blog friend sent me a vintage red dress and I was overwhelmed by comments telling me I should wear it more often and now I do (although I do get bored with the Fenella Fielding comparisons and having to post for photos with odd men in pubs.
Love your dress. you look beautifull. xxx
When I reach 40, anyone who tries to stop me wearing red gets a smack!!!!
You look preeeeettty Suzanne- that is such a pretty dress and yes, it looks amazing on you!!! I can understand an avoidance of colour though, I’ve done that definitely!
Interesting backstory about your relationship with the colour red. I remember buying a black and red dress with a sweetheart neckline and wearing it to school when I was in Grade 13. I felt extremely visible but kind of powerful at the same time. Red is definitely a power colour, as there is no way hide if you are the only woman wearing a red dress at an event. I’ve worn red my whole life, except when I was a redhead. Not because the “rules” said I wasn’t supposed to, but because I couldn’t seem to find anything in a shade that looked good with my hair.
Love the raised polka dots on this dress. But… you already have loads of red items: red leather skirt, red cape. So what are you talking about? You reclaimed this colour long ago.
Greetje
In the last 3 years I’ve allowed red back into my life. Before that I owned no red at all.
Glad you’re once again embracing red because you do own this color! And you have definetely earned it. I saw you instagram post and couldn’t imagine how at a young age such a bold and great color was sadly such a bad memory but I now totally understand.
I don’t have much red in my wardrobe. It looks great on me but I just never buy it for some weird unknown reason.
My very first speech and debate coach often talked to us about how to dress (for competitions) because of the power of first impressions (which is probably a good thing because we were high schoolers and being asked to dress in business formal attire. No one knew anything about suits.) One of the things she told us though, that has always stuck with me is that red is a power color. There’s a lot of studies talking about how different colors make those seeing them feel and red conveyed that the wearer was powerful and sure and strong. (Blue was a calming effect. Purple also a power color though one I felt was a little more subtle). Here, in this red dress, you communicate power and confidence for sure!